Care
by munchkin-hime
Summary: Sometimes it may not seem like it, especially when he leaves me to get burnt to a crisp by demons, but InuYasha does care. Even in the smallest of doses.. InuYasha/OC One-Shot


A/N: OK, guys.. I got some reviews on my other InuYasha oneshot asking that I write more InuYasha. :D So I did. Though, I don't like this one as much. But still, it's InuYasha. It's my OC, again - no Kagome. Just remember, though... I seriously adore InuYasha and Kagome.

Also, the idea for a full fic was suggested.. and I don't think I can do that. It'd be hard for me to come up with something like that, especially with the huge amount of InuYasha episodes. But I don't know.. maybe it'll happen someday. I haven't watched InuYasha in a while, but I hope you like this! :D

* * *

"InuYashaaaaaaaaaa!" Jade yelled at the top of her lungs, almost tripping over a fallen branch as she ran through the forest.

She shrieked, dodging a fireball and picking up the pace. She breathed heavily, her chest heaving as she wove around the trees; which, apparently, all looked the exact same.

Stupid InuYasha.

Stupid InuYasha forgetting that she was coming back within the hour. She had run off to the well, telling InuYasha that she had something to do and that she'd be back within the hour. She also told him that she expected him to be there when she came back. And with that, she leapt into the well.

Now here she was, being chased by a huge, fire conjuring demon. Perfect. Because that's who/what she wanted to greet her when she returned to the Feudal Era.

"Inuyasha!" she screamed, the heat of a fireball grazing her exposed leg. She tumbled out of the way, sitting behind a tree and trying to catch her breath.

It wasn't long before the demon cut her particular tree down with it's claws. It crouched down slightly, heat coming from it's mouth as Jade stared at it with disgust.

"Well if InuYasha's not coming..." she mumbled, reaching an arm back to her shoulder, searching for her bow and arrows before realizing that she had left them in Kaede's village—just where she was heading.

She could see the fire growing within the demons mouth, and with a deep breath, raised a fist to bonk it on the nose. It stuttered back a little, losing it's concentration, and swallowing the fireball that it had been producing.

Jade scrambled to pick herself up, watching as the demon shook it's head and then released a great roar of anger. She swallowed the lump in her throat, once again running—and once again calling out for InuYasha, "InuYasha! Help!"

She put a hand to her throat, trying to soothe her hard and heavy breathing, hearing the pound of footsteps of the demon behind her. It was chasing her again. And now it was really mad.

'I'm stupid if I think he's just gonna swoop in and save me...' she thought to herself, stumbling over a small rock, '...even though he always does. Today's going to be the day that he doesn't.'

She almost laughed. And she would've, if she wasn't about to be burnt to a crisp. She could feel the heat in the area, before finding herself cornered in a section of trees.

And she was pretty sure she had this forest memorized from InuYasha carrying her through it, tree to tree.

Alright, maybe she didn't have the best memory.

Oh, wait. But hey, neither did InuYasha. She wouldn't be in this mess if he remembered she was coming back!

She heard the demon cackle, and decided to turn around to meet her fate. And just as she was about to, she heard an angry cry. Both her and the demon turned their heads to the sky, to see none other than a certain hanyou (half demon/half human) leaping through the sky.

"InuYasha!" Jade cried out, relief marinating her voice.

"Gotten yourself into trouble, wench?" he asked, landing before her with Tetsusaiga in hand.

She crossed her arms, blowing some loose hair out of her face, "I wouldn't _be_ in trouble if you remembered to wait for me."

"Hn," his nose twitched, as he put the Tetsusaiga out in front of him, "Whatever. We'll discuss this later. I got some scum to take care of now!" He leapt towards the demon, who spat out a fairly large fireball at him. He drew his sword back with great force and then sliced downward through the air, "Windscar!" This blew out the fireball.

Jade covered her face with her arms, wind from the attack flying past her.

Inuyasha landed back beside her, watching as the demon proceeded to conjure up another fireball.

"Alright, that's it," InuYasha grumbled, pulling Tetsusaiga back and leaping towards the demon once more. With one fatal sweep he had destroyed it.

"Gee InuYasha, thanks," Jade said bitterly, as he sheathed Tetsusaiga. He cocked an eyebrow, turning to face her, "Could be a bit more grateful than _that_!"

"You could've remembered to wait for me!" she retorted, a sudden shakiness in her voice as she glared at him with narrowed eyes. "Where were you!?"

"Hey, at least I showed up!" he spat back. "I could of left you here for dead!"

"So you don't care if I die or not!" she turned on her heel, walking off in a random direction with her nose in the air.

"Hey!" he growled from behind her. "I ain't coming to your rescue again if you're just gonna walk off on me like that!"

"Good!" she growled back. "I can take care of myself!"

InuYasha sighed, running to catch up with her and stopping in front of her.

"Oh, so now you want me to stay!" she grumbled, pushing past him and continuing to walk.

"Wench," InuYasha muttered, as she lost her footing on the loose edges of a pit. He quickly grabbed the collar of her shirt, preventing her from falling into the deep pit. "I never said anything about me wanting you to stay!" He told her, pulling her up.

She just dusted herself off, before picking herself up again and standing opposite to him, "So...Where were you?"

He smirked, "Ha. Yeah right, you're leaving."

"Where were you?" she repeated with a new firmness to her tone.

He shrugged carelessly, "I dunno."

"Sit," was her response, coated in harshness and anger.

"What was that for!?" he demanded to know, pulling himself off of the ground, "I don't know why I care about you so much! Why should I keep protecting _you_!?"

It was silent—all except for the rustling of the leaves in the breeze.

"InuYasha..." she started, a different shakiness in her voice then before. "W-What...did you say?"

"...Why should I keep protecting you..." he muttered in response, as she turned to face him, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"B-before that..."

"I didn't say nothin'," he objected, "Now get on my back and let's go see that old hag, Kaede."

"You said _something_, InuYasha. I want to know...what you said," she pushed.

"I didn't say _anything_ besides asking why you activated these stupid Prayer Beads!"

"You...You said you didn't know why you..." she played with her hands, avoiding eye contact with the hanyou. She didn't want to look into those glittering golden eyes; not now.

"Just get on my back," he muttered, crouching down a bit so she could slide on. "Besides, you have a little burn mark there—on your leg."

She glanced down in the midst of climbing onto his back, faintly noticing a tiny burn mark. It must've been from where that fireball grazed her from before.

"I didn't notice..." she murmured softly, wrapping her arms around his neck so she wouldn't fall off his back.

Maybe... Maybe he really did care.


End file.
